Effect of tillage and sowing methods on productivity, economics and energetics of rice (Oryza sativa)-wheat (Triticum aestivam) cropping system

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out from 2004-05 to 2008-09 at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh to evaluate the four tillage practices (direct seeding in dry fields, direct seeding of sprouted seeds in puddled field by drum seeder, manual transplanting, and mechanical transplanting) in rice and four sowing methods (conventional till sowing, zero till sowing, strip till sowing and bed planting) in wheat on productivity, economics and energetics of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) - wheat ( Triticum aestivam L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) cropping system. Direct seeding of sprouted seeds in puddled field by drum seeder gave significantly higher grain yield of rice (5.70 t/ha), followed by direct seeding under dry field (5.32 t/ha) and mechanical transplanting (5.21 t/ha), whereas the lowest yield was re- corded in manual transplanted rice (5.11 t/ha). The wheat sown after dry seeding of rice in dry field produced sig- nificantly higher grain yield (4.26 t/ha) than other sowing methods of rice. In wheat, strip till drilling recorded the highest values of yield attributing characters and grain yield (4.56 t/ha) than other methods of sowing. Conse- quently, strip till sown wheat after preceding rice grown under direct seeding of sprouted seeds in puddled field by drum seeder produced higher combined grain yields for entire cropping system in rice equivalent yield (11.88 t/ ha), net monetary returns ( 49,116/ha) and B: C ratio (3.2), when compared with other methods of sowing . More- over, direct seeding of sprouted seeds of rice followed by strip till sowing of wheat gave higher water productivity and energetics than that of other combinations of tillage and sowing methods by ensuring timely and cheep sow- ing without sacrificing the crop yields.